Female resident dies from Hightstown apartment fire

HIGHTSTOWN - A female resident of Deerfield-Westerlea Apartments died Monday from injuries sustained in a fire that started in her bedroom, police sources say.

According to law enforcement, around 6 a.m. Monday, firefighters were dispatched to Westerlea Avenue to extinguish a fire that started in a bedroom of one of the apartments. When firefighters arrived on scene, sources say, they found a female suffering from burn injuries. The woman was then taken to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Police say no other injuries were reported.

“The other residents of the building were able to return to their apartment after the fire was extinguished and smoke was cleared from the building,” Hightstown Police Director James LeTellier said Monday afternoon.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, LeTellier said. And the victim’s identity is being withheld pending family notification.